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Part 22

Angel-T: And now any doubt that you may have had about the victor is over, right?

Luminak: Hsss may be powerless for the time-being, and we all know that (at least in the long run), both he and Hordak will be banished from Eternia...but the real question is, who ultimately succeeds in making it back first, and what will they do when they're freed from their exile?

Now, back to the story...

*****

Outside, Zodak and the three Elders had positioned themselves atop a cliff not far from Snake Mountain. An energy blast ricocheted off the rock-face behind them. “We were doing so well until that battalion of Snake Men spotted us,” Duquane commented.

“This is no time for jokes,” Zodak snapped. “I can sense that they have already opened the Void, but what troubles me more is the dark forces that were unleashed shortly afterwards.”

“Do you think something escaped?” Vulcan asked.

“I can’t be sure, but there was a massive surge of evil energy.”

Zilora carefully raised her head over their stone shield. “There’s at least two hundred of them,” she assessed, before before ducking another energy blast.

“Then let’s get moving!” Zodak ordered, leaping up-and-over the protective wall they had been hiding behind.

The Elders looked at each other one more time, and then used their new powers to take to the skies. They followed Zodak toward the ground, firing magical volleys at their attackers.

*****

King Hsss, cloaked once more in the self-healing masque given to him by the sorceress Shokoti, stood atop Snake Mountain, staring at the battle below.

Once, his warriors were the most feared in all of Eternia. Were it not for the bloodline of Grayskull, the Snake Men would have enslaved Eternia ages ago. But now, his hosts had been reduced to a few hundred. They were cold and starving, and their homes and families had been wiped out by Hordak’s holocaust.

There was a much deadlier force on Eternia now...one that had even managed to steal his incredible power, however temporarily. Hsss pondered all of this, and realized sadly that this would be the day that the Snake Men’s reign came to an end.

And then, unable to protect even himself, the snake king saw the beginning of his warriors' final stand...

Part 23

“Join your powers with mine,” Zodak ordered, as he pushed past another Snake Man. “If we can contain the Snake Men, then we can trap them in the Void once and for all!”

The Elders levitated themselves once more, so that they were looking down at the mass of serpents. Zodak, sitting upon his silver sedan, joined them in the skies.

“Now!”

The quartet released their assault on the army below in a dazzling display of magic. The serpents began to rise into the air—including Rattlor, Sssqueeze, Tung Lashor and Snake Face—as a bubble of pure energy encased the entire legion.

“I don’t think I can hold it!” Zilora cried out.

“If you break your connection we will fail,” the Cosmic Enforcer barked. “Just hold it for a few more moments!”

Spinning his seat around, Zodak stared at King Hsss atop his fortress. He beckoned in the king’s direction, and Hsss was plucked from his perch and carried over to the Cosmic Enforcer on a blanket of wind.

“Hurry!” Vulcan cried, also beginning to fatigue.

Ignoring everything else around him, Zodak stared at his captive with pure hatred. “I will never forget what you have done, snake!” Zodak whispered to the king. “You may find yourself imprisoned this day, but your true day of reckoning will come…and your blood will stain my hands!”

“Just as your brother’s stained my lips.” Hsss flicked a forked tongue, and laughed with a malicious madness, as Zodak cast him into the massive energy bubble along with the rest of the Snake Men.

“Direct it toward the Void!” Duquaine shouted, as he and the other Elders began pushing the force-field toward Snake Mountain.

Zodak finally joined in, using his rage as fuel for the furnace that supplied his power. He transfigured the bubble so that it became like a large chute, which carried the wretched reptiles deep into the depths of Snake Mountain, and emptied them out over the Void's sucking maw.

The group from Castle Grayskull made their way into the chamber that housed the opening to the Void. Once the last of the Snake Men had fallen through, Zodak and the Elders created their own magical seal around the dimensional rift. As a final measure, Vulcan removed the golden disk from the spire next to him, recreating the translucent shield that had originally covered the gateway.

*****

By the time the Elders returned to Castle Grayskull, the last of Zodak’s energy-boost had been used. As for the Cosmic Enforcer himself, he had neglected to return with them, although he informed the Elders that he had no intention of leaving Eternia any time soon.

Duquaine and the rest told their tale, and the good news soon rang out across the broken, battle-wearied planet:

King Hsss and his Snake Men have finally been driven from Eternia, and peace will reign once more!

Part 24

Here's the next piece. Keep the comments rollin' in...

*****

Peace would reign once more…at least, that had been what the people of Eternia were told. King Grayskull and the Elders knew better, though. The morning following the victory at Snake Mountain, the Council and their king gathered atop the beautiful yet imposing Castle Grayskull, where they began discussing the new threat to their planet: Hordak and his evil Horde.

With the Elders standing next to him, still dressed in their battle togs, the king sighed. “When my sword was lost in battle with the Snake Men, I had hoped it was a sign that a time of peace was upon us.”

Zilora thought briefly of recent rumors that other warlords were being threatened to join the Horde, lest they be destroyed like the Snake Men. “Sadly, my king, that time has not yet come,” she said. “Even now, the forces of evil are clashing. One will emerge victorious, and then the true battle for Eternia will be upon us.”

“Though I yearn for nothing more than an Eternia free of bloodshed, if battle I must then battle I will.” Grayskull turned away from the rest of the group before continuing to speak. “The Sword of Power was bestowed upon me by the Goddess, to protect Eternia during the dark days…but I have lost it. Unless I can find another power source, all of Eternia is in danger.”

“Queen Veena is a descendant of the Goddess,” Duquaine said hopefully, “surely she can ask Her Excellency for help.”

Grayskull sighed again. “My wife has communed with her mystical ancestor,” he said, “but she will not relay what was said. It’s almost as if she’s trying to protect me from something…”

*****

Meanwhile, on a distant hilltop, Hordak and his warriors had trained their sights on Castle Grayskull. From their current vantage point, they could see the white-marble fortress standing proudly atop a tor. To the left and right, the castle’s moat emptied into sparkling Grayskull Falls. A sleepy village rested securely nearby. It seemed as if all was right with the world.

“How pristine.” Grizzlor grunted. “How sickening.” His peers nodded their agreement, but Hordak paid no attention to them. He was already planning the fall of Castle Grayskull.

“With King Hsss defeated, the true prize is now within my reach: the conquest of Eternia.”

Callix slowly approached his leader. “Forgive me, Great Hordak, but perhaps now is not the time. The clash with the Snake Men has left our forces depleted.” Though Hordak and his warriors had encountered little difficulty overcoming King Hsss’ High Command, they had indeed lost quite a few Horde Troopers while breaking into the fortress itself.

“That is good counsel, Callix,” the warlord replied. There was something in Hordak’s tone of voice that worried his soldiers; Mantenna, Leech, and Grizzlor backed away from Callix as quickly as they could. Then, the other proverbial boot dropped: “But I do so hate bad news.”

A blast of wind blew in from nowhere, knocking Callix off his rocky feet. His body began to crack, starting with his hands and arms, and traveling across his upper torso and face. Yellowish light emerged from the cracks, and then Callix exploded into a cloud of rocky debris.

Mantenna and Leech, who had not managed to move away far enough, had to shield their heads from the chunks of rock that fell back to earth. Ultimately, all that remained of Callix was a pile of gravel.

The explosion startled a nesting falcon, and it took to the air with a screech—or so Hordak’s crew thought. In reality, it was Veena, in her falcon form. While patrolling the dawn skies, she had watched as Hordak and his warriors made their way to the hilltop. For hours, she had been perched silently in a nearby tree, spying on the Horde leader as he stared hungrily toward her home.

The queen flew toward the castle with an unsettling report for her husband. During her time in the tree she had seen and heard more than just the destruction of Callix. She let the winds carry her to the battlements above, where her husband and the Elders were gathered.

The king smiled as his wife landed amongst the others. “Veena,” he said proudly, as she resumed her human form.

She made her way toward him, her headdress rolling upon the breeze. She wasted no time in delivering her report. “Hordak has put off his attack. But attack he will, in a matter of days.”

Grayskull sighed, and clenched his fist. “And so there will be more bloodshed. If only there were another way.”

Veena moved closer, and slipped her delicate hand into his fist. He smiled, and placed his other hand on her shoulder, as she said, “If there were you would have found it.” The queen nestled against his broad chest, and said proudly, “Never was there a heart as pure and good as yours, my husband.” She hung her head sadly, knowing what he would ask of her next.

Grayskull pulled her into a tight embrace. “I must act. You must help me.”

Pressed against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, she finally revealed what the Goddess had shared with her. “If you choose this path, there is no turning back…and you may perish.”

Still wrapped in each other’s arms, they turned to face the suns. After a time he said, “And if I do nothing, all of Eternia shall perish.” He looked away, so that she would not see the tears pooling in his blue eyes.

Yet, as she looked up at the man she loved, Veena could see them clearly. She knew that the tears were not because he was afraid of losing his life. They were because he hated to say goodbye to the woman he loved.

“Go, then,” she instructed, managing to hide the trembling in her own voice. “Find the Oracle of Zalesia. He alone can give you the knowledge you seek.”

The king rested his head on hers once more. “Then let it be done.”

They looked at each other one more time, and the queen was unable to keep her tears back any longer. Though it tore his heart out, Grayskull released his wife from his grip and marched over to Savage-Cat. Once mounted, he asked, “How do I find this Oracle?”

“It is deep in the woods that you will find the Oracle, my husband, in a place far beyond the reach of my magic.” Telepathically, she implanted the trail he must follow into his mind.

“All Hail King Grayskull!” the Elders cried, lifting their staffs and weapons into the air. “Good journey!”

He nodded his thanks. “Farewell, my friends. I shall return to you soon.” Then he turned to Veena, and simply said, “I love you.”

Before she could respond, Savage-Cat had bounded down the stairs and charged through the castle’s gates. Veena could only watch as her husband raced to begin his last quest.

Part 25

King Grayskull brought Savage-Cat to a rest atop a cliff overlooking Zalesia. The side of the city he was looking at still looked habitable, but he knew that the other side had been completely melted away by Serpos, and then covered with sand thanks to the Spell of Separation.

He paused only briefly to look at the tall building where Zilora had set-up a home for herself. She knew that the city’s foundation was cracked, and that the entire place could collapse at a moment’s notice, but she liked being able to commune with the Faceless One. He may have been a traitor to the Council of Wisdom and the people of Eternia, but he was still her brother.

Pushing all of those thoughts aside, the king continued on his way. He and Savage-Cat plunged into the very heart of the Zalesian forest, passing untamed foliage, glistening ponds, and peaceful animals of every type.

After three hours of making their way through the woods, they came to a clearing. Before the hero loomed a tall, iron gate that had been left open. On the other side, a floating staircase led up to a beautiful, columned temple.

King Grayskull disembarked from Savage-Cat, and pushed through the gate alone. Though it made him feel uneasy at first, the king made his way up the floating stairs. When he came to the base of the temple, he cupped his mouth and called out, “O’ Great Oracle, I seek your help!”

A white cloud of smoke billowed from the temple, and, when it cleared, Grayskull saw a terrifying specter in charcoal-gray robes. It swayed in the wind, and stared down blankly at its summoner.

Grayskull was about to yell for Savage-Cat, when the specter’s hood popped off and a much tinier creature floated into the air. The concealed figure wore bright robes of red and gold, and it had blue hands. Its facial features (except for two bushy white eyebrows and eyes like lanterns) were obstructed by the shadows from its hood.

“That’s what I’m here for,” the creature replied to Grayskull’s call, as it flew down to shake his hands.

“You are the Oracle?” Grayskull asked skeptically. “But—”

“That?” the creature responded, pointing at the menacing giant behind him. “Just for show; impresses the lookie-loos. So, what can I do ya for?” But the Oracle shoved a blue hand in his face before he could answer. “Ooh, wait, don’t tell me!”

Grayskull turned to leave, believing this all to be some kind of hoax.

This time, the Oracle wagged his finger in Grayskull’s face. “Ooh, don’t…don’t tell me…You fear you won’t have the power to defeat him.” The strange creature in the red and gold robes turned his attention to the giant floating cloak. As he replaced the thing’s hood, he said, “Ah, and I know just what you need.”

“You can give me this power?” Grayskull asked flatly.

“Me?” He turned to face the king again. “No, you must find it yourself. But be warned: it’s a long journey, and it won’t be easy.”

“I would do anything to protect Eternia,” he responded. “Give up my very life if necessary.”

“Yes, uh, well… Listen close: You must journey, first, past the Corridors of Lithos, until you reach the dreaded Valley of Dragons. If you survive the Valley of Dragons, you’ll come to the Labyrinth of Thorns. Many have entered, few have returned—choose your path wisely. If you make it through, your final destination stands before you—Mount Imperium—but to reach it, you must cross the entire Sands of Time. Climb to the peak of the mountain. There, you will find a cave--”

“And inside that cave?” he interrupted.

“The power you seek.”

Grayskull pondered the journey that had been laid out before him. “Oracle, Mount Imperium is just slightly south-east of here. Your directions would have me traveling all over the planet to reach it. Can I not simply ride to Mount Imperium?”

“You could,” the Oracle replied. “But that would be too easy. If you take the easy way out, you won’t find the power you’re looking for.”

Grayskull nodded. “You are a strange creature, Oracle—”

“Most Trollans are, by Eternian standards.”

“—but I will do as you say. Thank you for your help.” Grayskull descended the steps and returned to Savage-Cat, who had been eyeing the Oracle hungrily the entire time. “Let’s go, my friend, we have a long and arduous journey before us.”

When King Grayskull and Savage-Cat were out of sight, another figure appeared before the Oracle. “I wish there was another way for Grayskull to really believe that he has the power,” the olive-skinned woman said.

“You came right out and told him,” the Oracle replied, “but he seems to have forgotten. He thinks the powers are tied up in that sword you gave him.”

The Goddess nodded. “You’re right, Oracle. He needs to face the challenges on this quest in order to truly believe in himself. Only then will he be ready to face Hordak.”

“Yeah, and only if he finds that inner-power will the future be in safe hands...”

Part 26

News spread across Eternia like wildfire that the king was on a quest. Queen Veena and the Elders received daily reports from people that had seen him cutting across their territory on the mighty Savage-Cat:

The people of Stone City cheered exuberantly as Grayskull and his cat steered their way through the confusing hedges that made up the Corridors of Lithos in less than a day!

Soon thereafter, the noble Tree People that lived in the Evergreen Forest reported his exploits in the Valley of Dragons, where he had bested a ferocious mother dragon! (He had even dared to rest there, tucked away in a small cave near a nest.)

Hordak, preparing his army within his sanctuary, had also heard about Grayskull’s exploits. Orc scouts told him that Grayskull had been at the Labyrinth of Thorns. “How did he make it through?” Hordak demanded.

The scouts snorted at each other, and one finally replied, “He studied the footsteps of those that had entered before him. Only one of the paths had footsteps going in and coming out.”

Hordak slammed his fist on the armrest of his throne. “That barbarian king has traveled, unguarded, across half the planet in less than two days! Why has no one caught him yet?”

“He rides that great big cat, and he’s going too fast for us to catch him,” the hesitant Orc replied. “And we don’t know where he’s going, so we can’t set-up traps in advance.”

The Horde leader glared at his little blue scouts, dressed in their silver Horde Trooper armor. “Can you at least tell me what it is that he’s searching for?”

None of the scouts dared to acknowledge that they could not.

“Mighty Hordak,” Leech slurped. The oozing green creature was affixed to a nearby wall. “Might I suggest that we strike at Castle Grayskull now, while the king is away?”

“Your suggestion is much more welcomed than that fool Callix’s, but I have something special in mind for Castle Grayskull that is dependant on the Shadow Weavers.”

As if on cue, the dark ones appeared in the throne room. “We are ready, Hordak. It will take a considerable amount of our strength, but we can now circumvent the poison barrier, and create a vortex that will pull King Grayskull and his home into dreaded Despondos!”

Hordak laughed maniacally. “Shokoti tried to bring the beasts of Despondos to Eternia to defeat her enemies, and she failed. I will not meet with a similar failure, though, because I will send those same enemies to the beasts’ dimension instead!”

He bellowed for Mantenna, and ordered, “Prepare the Troopers; we march on Castle Grayskull at once!”

Part 27

The Fire People sent word to Queen Veena that King Grayskull and Savage-Cat had traversed the entire Sands of Time in less than two hours—a task that had never been achieved by a land animal in the history of Eternia. At the end of the message, it read that someone had seen him starting to climb Mount Imperium…

*****

By the time King Grayskull reached the top of the mountain he was nearly frozen. At such a great height the winds were strong and chilled, and flecks of snow fell upon the king’s heavy cloak. He searched all the way around the top, but he could not find the cave that the Oracle had spoken of. He leaned against the rock-face as a deep depression began to cloud his mind.

Have I failed? he wondered. Did I miss a step somewhere, and as a result the power I seek has been denied me?

While such thoughts plagued his mind, he began to feel warmer physically. Curious now, the king turned around and ran his hands across the smooth stone behind him. The heat seemed to be coming from the rock he had propped himself against, so he examined it more closely.

Grayskull quickly realized that he had not leaned against a mere outcropping, but rather a boulder that seemed to be blocking an entryway! Summoning all of his brute strength, King Grayskull plunged his hands deep into the granite, and lifted the obstacle out of his way. To his consternation and surprise, he saw the Oracle sitting peacefully on the other side, a blazing fire before him, and a steaming mug in his blue hands.

“Ah, you made it,” the Trollan said.

Grayskull tossed the boulder away, and a gust of snowy wind preceded him into the chamber. “What sort of trickery…” he stammered. “I journeyed to find great power!”

The Oracle glared at him, and a trumpet of thunder sounded outside. Turning back to his fire, the Oracle thumbed at the king’s feet and instructed him to, “Open the box. It contains a sword of power.”

King Grayskull knelt before the oblong wooden box, and opened it slowly. Inside, on a carpet of red lining, rested the same Sword of Power that he had lost to the waters below Castle Grayskull. “But…this is my sword,” he replied, studying it carefully. When he saw his family’s crest embedded in the hilt, he knew beyond all doubt that it was indeed the same Sword of Power that the Goddess had given to him. “I lost it in battle with the Snake Men.”

He held it up, and stroked the cold steel of its blade, but it no longer seemed to pulsate with the mystical might that he used to think was contained within. For the first time, he doubted whether the sword had ever been imbued with magic to begin with. The more he thought of it, the sword had never demonstrated any magical powers before, and he felt betrayed by how easily it had been lost. Bitterly, Grayskull declared, “It possess no great power.”

Still staring at the fire burning before him, the Oracle replied, “No, but you do! You discovered that on your journey.” The Trollan placed his steaming cup on the ground, and floated into the air. He spread his arms, and the fire tripled in size.

As the robed one spoke, images danced on the fiery surface. “You showed courage…”—an image of Grayskull and Savage-Cat staring down at the dragon they had encountered—“…wisdom…”— the king and his cat making their way through the Labyrinth of Thorns—“…kindness…”—King Grayskull giving the tired and parched Savage-Cat handfuls of water, before allowing his mount to rest--“…and strength,” the Oracle concluded, as an image appeared of Grayskull removing the boulder that blocked him from the cave.

The fire returned to its original state, and the Oracle floated over to the king. Grayskull lifted the Sword of Power from its box. “It’s all inside you, Grayskull,” the Trollan explained, “you have the power! Always have had.”

As the king looked at his reflection in the sword, he remembered the Goddess’ final words to him when she gave him the sword: Do not fear, Grayskull. You have the power!

The king’s confidence in his ability to protect his home had been restored, but he was disappointed that he had ever let himself tie-up his confidence in something as foolish as a weapon to begin with. He sighed, resolving to deal with that another day, and turned to leave the cave.

“Uh, Grayskull,” the Oracle called him back hesitantly. “I wasn’t sure you’d make it, so I didn’t tell you this before…” He took a long sip from his mug, steeling himself for what he was about to foretell. “You will not survive the battle with Hordak.”

King Grayskull stared out at the falling snow and mulled the Trollan’s words over. The white curtain was so peaceful and beautiful, just like the rest of Eternia had been before King Hsss’ reign and Hordak’s terrible spell. That peace and beauty must be restored, no matter what!

“What becomes of me is not important, so long as Eternia can be free from evil, and live in peace.” With that last word, the king departed.

The Goddess stepped out of the flames once he was gone. “One does not have to be an Oracle to know that King Grayskull’s wish will come true. If he defeats Hordak, Eternia will enter into a golden age like none before it.”

The Oracle dumped the rest of his drink onto the cave floor. “Don’t worry about that part—he’ll defeat Hordak; he has the power.”

Just so you know, there's still definately more to come. Fortunately, I was given an opportunity to visit my family in Maryland for a week (for free). Long story short, as soon as I'm back in Chicago next week I'll upload the next bit.

Part 28

Hi all! Sorry it's taken so long to continue! I had expected to be able to start back up with posting upon my return from Maryland, but I came back to find a computer that had been fried by a power surge. I thought I had lost everything, but then I remembered a back-up disk I made some time back. So, the crisis is basically averted, although I am depending on borrowed computers to make my updates until I can get a new one. At any rate, enough rambling. Here's the next piece. Enjoy!

*****

Hordak was at the forefront of his army, held aloft by his wings. His chief warriors—Manteena, Leech, Grizzlor, and the Shadow Weavers—marched below him. Beyond the villains marched an army of Orcs in the thousands—all dressed in Horde Trooper armor, and all carrying weapons and black banners sporting the ubiquitous Horde bat-symbol. In their terrible wake, thick billows of black smoke poured from a nearby village.

The white, marble walls of Castle Grayskull shown like a beacon of light in the midday suns, and were surrounded by a magical force field created by Veena and the Elders. The fortress stood proudly atop its weathered hill.

As the Horde crested a similar hill, less than a mile from their target, they saw him: King Grayskull, his cloak fluttering in the breeze, mounted upon Savage-Cat. The ruler of Eternia was alone, facing insurmountable odds.

They came to a stand-still as Hordak lowered himself to the ground. While he transformed his wings back into a cape-like appendage, the warlord growled something unintelligible at the Shadow Weavers.

The ex-Cosmic Enforcers took to the air, and began to circle the castle like vultures. Finally, they positioned themselves on separate buttes around the structure.

King Grayskull eyed them suspiciously for a moment, before returning his attention to Hordak. He pointed at the Horde leader with the Sword of Power, but his enemy did nothing in return except scowl.

Without a word, the Troopers spontaneously attacked! They broke around their leader like waves crashing against an unmovable rock, shouting Orc battle-cries.

Grayskull stared at the oncoming creatures with disdain, knowing that they were no match for him, especially while riding high on the mighty Savage-Cat. The king had his mount charge forward, pummeling the tide of Horde Troopers, and even sending some careening into the air as he charged forth.

While the remaining Orcs continued running towards Castle Grayskull, Mantenna let loose a shrill cry. He and the other super-warriors tried to intercept the king, while Hordak folded his arms confidently; he knew it would ultimately come down to a confrontation between just the two of them.

King Grayskull leaped from his saddle, somersaulting in the air and coming down with enough force to create a large sinkhole, which collapsed further into the caverns below the castle.

The Horde super-warriors could not stop themselves in time to avoid falling in, but even as they fell Mantenna tried to attack. The bug-eyed abomination launched his powerful paralyzing beams at Grayskull, but the king deflected the twin blasts with the Sword of Power; the ricocheted energy struck Leech and Grizzlor instead, freezing their nervous systems instantly.

Grayskull leaped out of the hole, grabbing Mantenna by the neck as he ascended, and slammed the gene-gineered manta-ant into unconsciousness as they landed. The blonde haired king met eyes with Hordak, and casually tossed Mantenna’s limp form into the pile of Horde Troopers that Savage-Cat was making mincemeat out of.

The great warriors stood ten feet apart, their cloaks blowing in the wind, Hordak’s arms still folded. For each of them, it was as if everything else had ceased to exist; it was just them, locked in a solitary moment. The king of Eternia was staring at the creature that had nearly destroyed the entire planet, and cost incalculable lives. The leader of the Horde was staring at the human who stood in his way of conquest.

King Grayskull raised his sword into an attack-position, but Hordak simply grinned. The human rushed at the Spikean, sword still raised, but as he grew closer Hordak’s eyes began to glow. Suddenly, Grayskull was assaulted by gale-force winds, but it was as if he was the only one affected. He gritted his teeth, and pushed forward with all of his might!

“Your power is impressive, Grayskull,” Hordak acknowledged calmly, the Sword of Power now inches from his chalky face, but buffeted by winds of unimaginable strength. The warlord made his first strike, unleashing an onslaught of lightening from his eyes that sent the king airborne.

Grayskull cried out in agony as he tumbled through the air, before finally crashing, unconscious, to the ground near the jaw-bridge of his home.

Hordak pointed toward the Shadow Weavers, and shouted, “I summon forth the portal to the terrible dimension of Despondos!”

His dark mages had already filled the skies directly above Castle Grayskull with heavy black clouds, and, with lightening dancing between them, the Shadow Weavers began casting their wicked spell. The black clouds parted ever so slightly, only to be replaced by a swirling portal that was growing ever-larger.

As King Grayskull began to pull himself from the ground, the sorcerers turned their attention on him, and pummeled the ruler with beams of brilliant, pink-hued energy that drove him back into the ground.

It is time I finished him! Hordak decided, displeased that the Shadow Weavers had been compelled to pull their efforts away from their magical workings. He lifted his hands into the air, and loose dirt and rocks began to churn and coalesce around him, eventually creating a rocky giant with the commander’s visage.

The enchanted monster leaped into the air, borne upon winds summoned by Hordak, and crashed down upon King Grayskull with the weight of a small mountain...

Part 29

Inside Castle Grayskull, Queen Veena and the Elders were aware of everything that was going on outside. The Elders had dropped the magical barrier around the fortress, and were trying to counteract the Shadow Weavers’ spell. They had met with little success thus far.

The queen, meanwhile, kept her attention on her husband via a small window in the castle’s left turret. She had avoided engaging in conflict due to her pregnancy, but she wanted to do something to help. When the rock-giant crashed down upon the king, she realized that it was time for her to step in!

Veena held out her hand, and her staff appeared therein. She channeled her magic through the instrument, and concentrated on the oppressive giant that was grinding the man she loved into the ground. Hordak’s spell was a powerful one, and it was not easy to dissolve the creature, but she did it!

With Grayskull free, and so much of her power now spent, Veena felt suddenly light-headed. The queen slid down the wall, until she was sitting on the floor. Tears started to well-up in her eyes, as she realized that there was nothing more she could do to help.

*****

King Grayskull was still besieged by the Shadow Weavers’ hexes, but at least the rock-giant was gone. Bloodied and broken, he was able to stumble to his feet. The spells being hurled at him flickered for a moment, but then the assault renewed. Though hunched over, Grayskull stood his ground…

*****

Veena pulled herself up again, so that she could see her husband at his greatest moment…

*****

“I…Have…The…Power!” he bellowed, calling upon all of those traits the Oracle had helped him to realize: Courage; Wisdom; Kindness; and, Strength. Four simple traits, but ones that set him apart from the evil Hordak and his wicked minions. That difference is what would give him the power needed to free Eternia from the icy grip of Evil...

The Sword of Power started to glow, and an energy field—with the brightness of a star—encompassed the king! Unadulterated streams of energy, Good in its purest form, sprang from the sword’s tip, and struck at the portal looming above Castle Grayskull, delivering control of it to King Grayskull.

“What is he doing?” Hordak muttered, dumbstruck by his opponent’s unsuspected powers.

The Shadow Weavers scrambled to regain control of the portal to Despondos, but the more they tried, the further that control was pulled away. The gateway started to fulfill its purpose, pulling things into the dreaded dimension on the other side. Unfortunately for the Shadow Weavers, they were caught in the effect, and all three were lifted into the air and tossed about.

King Grayskull, still aglow and in control of the dimensional doorway, turned his attention to the rest of the Horde. Wordlessly, he aimed his weapon at the Horde Troopers Savage-Cat was playing with, and unleashed a wave of the same energy he was pouring into the heavens. Savage-Cat leapt out of blast’s way, but the Horde Troopers could not escape the enchanted energy and were swept away.

As the wave made its way toward him next, Hordak erected a magical barrier for protection. It was taxing his strength to the limit to maintain it, but so far he had remained rooted to the ground…

Part 30

“The portal is collapsing!” Duquaine shouted, as Veena joined the Elders in the throne room. “It’s literally falling from the sky!”

“Do not fear,” the queen replied knowingly. “Castle Grayskull will be spared.”

True to her words, the castle proper remained undamaged, although everything around the castle—the nearby hills and mountains, Grayskull Falls, even the towering gargoyle that supported the castle’s footbridge—were all drawn into Despondos as the rift collapsed.

The plummeting portal bored a seemingly endless abyss into the ground around the beaten fortress as it continued to fall toward the very heart of Eternia…

*****

Meanwhile, Hordak was still trying to hold back the magical tsunami spewing from the Sword of Power. His powers were almost entirely depleted, and, as impossible as it seemed, King Grayskull’s magic seemed to be intensifying with every passing second!

I only have one chance, Hordak realized, as he tried to redouble his efforts yet again. He thought back to the day—it seemed so long ago now—that Shokoti had ripped Horüd’s soul from his body and placed it into the Horde Prime shell. I must transfer my essence into another body!

Almost immediately, he realized what body that would be: Grayskull!

With the last of his power, Hordak cast the spell. The red force-field the Horde leader had used to protect himself vanished, and Grayskull’s built-up energy wave blasted the warlord’s body into dust!

The king was horrified to see that Hordak remained, but in a spectral form now. As he brought still more power to bear against the evil one, he reminded himself, I Have the Power!

At the same time, he used his control over the gateway to stop its decent into the planet’s core, and to summon tendrils of energy to sweep away the last vestiges of the Horde; the Shadow Weavers, the super-warriors, and all of the Horde Troopers disappeared into the magical opening.

Hordak’s spectral form was also pulled toward the portal, but he would not go so easily! The warlord positioned his spirit so that he would intercept King Grayskull. He planned to push out his enemy’s spirit, and take over the muscular body for himself!

Unfortunately for the Horde leader, he phased through King Grayskull’s body but was unable to gain any kind of foothold on the other’s spirit. He felt, in that split-second, Veena’s meddling presence.

“I shall return, Grayskull!” Hordak vowed as he was pulled into the abyss. “I shall return!”

With the last of the Horde now trapped in Despondos, the remnants of the portal disappeared.

Veena saw the Sword of Power’s energy surge subside, and then she saw her husband start to stumble and drop the sword. She had managed to protect Grayskull’s soul when Hordak crossed through his body, but such an unnatural attack had still been enough to inflict a deadly, bloodless wound upon him. As King Grayskull collapsed, the queen flew to him, and caught his head in her lap before it hit the ground.

The jaw-bridge lowered behind them, and the Elders came rushing to their king’s side, and dropped to their knees. On the other side, Savage-Cat stared at the scene with a look of confusion. Duquaine placed a reassuring hand on the king’s shoulder, and Grayskull reached for his friend’s arm.

“When I am gone,” the king struggled, “my power will fill you; use it well. Rule with wisdom, rule with kindness—” The monarch grimaced as a pain shot through his chest.

He turned his eyes to Veena next. “Fear not, my queen, peace has come at last.” He looked toward the Sword of Power, which lay embedded in the ground where he had dropped it. “My sword will reside inside Castle Grayskull until the day Evil returns. By my name, a great hero will be born.”

The king was racked by a coughing fit, as his body continued shutting down. He reached up to stroke Veena’s cheek, but he hadn’t the strength to keep it aloft. “Until then…promise…me…”

The king had spoken his last, and his arm fell limply to the ground.

The Elders lowered their heads, and Savage-Cat, smelling death upon his master, whimpered piteously. Although Veena had been warned that Grayskull would not survive the battle with Hordak, she was still in shock.

“Yes,” she said finally, through a veil of tears, as she stroked his face, “I will guard Castle Grayskull. And when I am no longer able, I will find another to take my place.”

She leaned in to kiss her husband one last time, as her tears splashed onto his breastplate. In the midst of their kiss, as she still held his heavy body in her arms, King Grayskull began to fade away. A cloud of swirling, white energy took his place, traveled over to the Sword of Power, and lifted it from the ground.

The enchanted sword pointed itself at the Elders and unleashed a blinding flash of light. When the flash faded away, the Elders found themselves dressed in their ceremonial robes, and each of them was aglow with the same white energy that held aloft the sword.

The queen approached the floating sword, and used her magic to create an oblong box for it to fit in, like the one she had seen the Sword of Protection resting in. The Sword of Power lowered itself into the case slowly, and then the lid sealed itself.

Veena turned, the box in hand, and made her way into the castle. The Elders bowed once more before the embodiment of King Grayskull’s power...

Part 31

Six months after the loss of King Grayskull, the Elders had yet another sad announcement for the people of Eternia: Neither Queen Veena nor the twins had survived the arduous act of childbirth. The Elders were dispatched to their home provinces to share the news, and to tell the people what would happen next.

“The Grayskull Dynasty has reached its end,” Sumana explained to her fellow Arcadians. “With Prince He-Ro gone, and now the passing of the infant prince and princess, we are without a monarch. The Elders shall continue to govern Eternia until one is born who embodies the same qualities as our former rulers.”

“Will you continue to govern from Castle Grayskull?”

“No,” Sumana answered. “The battle with Hordak rendered it virtually uninhabitable, but we were never able to convince the queen to leave. There is no reason for us to remain there now.”

“Where will you go?”

“The Hall of Wisdom—once known to you as Castle Eternia, but so-named now in honor of its former keepers—seems like the likeliest option, given its central location. We will also be taking Castle Grayskull’s Royal Guard with us, for their safety as well as our own.”

*****

Days later, back at the ruins of Castle Grayskull, the Elders and the royal Man-At-Arms had gathered in the secret chamber behind the throne room.

“Did they believe you?” Queen Veena—cloaked in black—whispered, as she leaned over her children’s cradles.

“Yes,” Duquaine replied. “Even the Royal Guards think Your Majesties died during the birthing process.”

“Good,” the queen replied sadly. She looked at the man strangely then. “We are no longer royalty, old friend. I am simply a sorceress, guarding a dilapidated pile of stones now. My children will never bear the titles of prince and princess.”

The Man-At-Arms stepped forward. “Your Highness,” he said, ignoring what she had just said, “I still do not understand the need for this ruse.”

She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder-plate. “This is the best way to protect my children, and to ensure that my husband’s sword does not fall into evil hands.”

He nodded. “I suppose that makes sense.” He looked at the ground before continuing. “I’ve given the move to Castle Eternia a great deal of thought, and since we are embarking on a new era I feel that now’s the best time for someone younger to take my place.”

“I suspected such thoughts had been on your mind, and I’m glad that I was right. I have a very special task for you, my friend, if you are willing to accept it.”

The idea of continuing to serve the Royal Family seemed to perk the older man back up. “How can I serve you, Your Majesty?”

“In order for the Grayskull Dynasty to continue in secret, one of my children must be given the opportunity to be a part of the outside world. They must be raised away from the walls of Grayskull, and unaware of their true parentage.”

The Man-At-Arms regarded her suspiciously. “You can’t be proposing…”

Veena wiped away the tears that had started to leak from her eyes. “Yes, I am. You are a good man, Man-At-Arms, and I know that you would do whatever is necessary to protect my child. You are the only person I would ever consider giving the task of protecting one of my children.”

The weapons-maker was still unsure. “What about the other child?” he asked, trying to stall.

“The other child will not be as fortunate as the child that goes with you. One of them must remain with me, to live a life of virtual solitude, so that I can train him or her in the ways of magic. It will be up to that child to carry on the guardianship of the Sword of Power when I am gone.”

“It is for the good of Eternia,” Zilora encouraged the Man-At-Arms.

“Very well, I will return to my home in Eternos and raise the babe as my own,” he said resolutely. “Which child, though?”

The tears were still running down Veena’s face. “I could never choose which child to part with. You may choose, Man-At-Arms, just please make it quick.”

He walked over and looked into the two cradles. He lifted the boy into his arms and cradled him first. “My wife and I always wanted a son.”

“So be it,” the sorceress replied. “I shall send you directly to your home, so that none see you leaving the castle with a baby. Thank you, Man-At-Arms, and know that I will never be far should you or the child need anything.”

Moments later, the prince and his foster-father were gone, teleported to the city of Eternos. Veena looked down at her daughter and thought, So my successor will be a Sorceress of Grayskull, rather than a Sorcerer.

The Elders approached the former queen and embraced her one-by-one. They exchanged their goodbyes, and then the Elders left the secret room to oversee the final preparations for the move to the Hall of Wisdom.

A short while later, Veena, in falcon form, watched as the Elders left Castle Grayskull. With them went every servant and member of the Royal Guard. For the first time since its creation, Castle Grayskull was abandoned.

The falcon made long, mournful calls, which echoed down into the abyss below.

Part III and So-Forth

And so, Dark Legacies (Part II) draws to a close. It is my sincere hope that everyone enjoyed it, and I hope that you continue to post your thoughts now that it's reached its end.

Parts III and IV are finished, but I don't have access to them at the moment because of my recent computer issues. Hopefully I'll be able to post something relatively soon, but I don't see myself getting a new computer until some time after my return from Ireland at the end of this month.

In the meantime, I strongly encourage you all to read hawggie's awesome reboot fan-fic! It's a great story that, in my opinion, has a Masters of the Universe: Classics flair to it!

I was a bit confused about Prince He-Ro---I forgot what happened to him. Did he choose a life in a monestry or something? Or am I confusing your fanfic with another one? I will have to re-read it...

I hope that your computer issues will work out fine so that you wont have any extra work (or replacement work) to do...that would be really time-consuming I guess...

However, thx again for your great story

Monstarmaster (MM)

PS: Your signature (Brett) indicates that you are male. Your avatar (pic), and this subtitle to your nickname (Catherine Chancellor) are female. Maybe you will reveal this mystery one day (when the mysteries of Part III and IV of your story are revealed)...

Lol!

Well, allow me to put some of your questions to rest...

I'll start with the non-story related question. My name is indeed Brett, and I am a male. The woman in the avatar is Jeanne Cooper, who plays the character Katherine Chancellor on "The Young & the Restless". She's one of my favorite characters; that universe's equivalent of the Sorceress, if you will--wise, respected, and the motherly figure most others look towards. Hence, since she has many traits that I would love to see in myself, I chose her depiction as my avatar.

Now, on to the other piece:
Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read Part I yet, and you don't want to know what happened to He-Ro, read no farther...

He-Ro was still alive and kicking at the end of Part I but he was severely weakened by his cross into Despondos (similar to what happened to Evil-Lyn in the MYP comic series). Light Hope, who was banished as well, was safe because Shokoti had destroyed his corporeal form and trapped his spirit in a mystical gem. Then, in Part II, the Green Goddess granted Veena a vision of her son being tended to by a clan of ogres in the midst of a pastel-colored forest. Sadly, though, his body would have been unable to survive another cross-dimensional journey, and so he was trapped in Despondos.

And so, Dark Legacies (Part II) draws to a close. It is my sincere hope that everyone enjoyed it, and I hope that you continue to post your thoughts now that it's reached its end.

Parts III and IV are finished, but I don't have access to them at the moment because of my recent computer issues. Hopefully I'll be able to post something relatively soon, but I don't see myself getting a new computer until some time after my return from Ireland at the end of this month.

In the meantime, I strongly encourage you all to read hawggie's awesome reboot fan-fic! It's a great story that, in my opinion, has a Masters of the Universe: Classics flair to it!

Regards to all!

Brett (Telkan2)

Great story so far, can't wait to read parts III and IV. I love the way you're expanding on the 200X storyline.

For continuity purposes, in my efforts to piece together a coherent history and storyline, certain parts of this story rely on elements taken from the “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” televisions series(es) and comics. Material was borrowed from the following sources:

“Beginning, The (Part I)”
“Ties that Bind, The”
“Snake Pit”
“Separation”
“Out of the Past”
“Rise of the Snake Men (Part I)”
“Price of Deceit”
“Power of Grayskull, The”
“History”

***

This work is solely that of a fan who wishes to honor the characters (and thereby the creators of said characters) that sparked in him a passion for fantasy and creativity that remains with him to this very day. No infringement on the copyrights or the creative talents of others from whom I’ve borrowed is intended. Thank you!

Part 01

An Eon After King Grayskull’s Death…

Miro was general of the Eternian Guard by the time he was thirty. By then, his exploits in the field and beyond had already made their way into the history lessons taught to the children of Eternia. After being a soldier in the field for so long, he quickly grew bored with life behind a desk.

The Elders, still imbued with the magic of King Grayskull, and still presiding over Eternia, consented to Miro’s request for a change. They allowed him to hand over his rank and become a captain once more, but with one condition:

Evil still existed on Eternia, though the legends of the Snake Men and the Horde had all but been forgotten. The Elders most recent enemy was a former Sorceress of Castle Grayskull who had tried to harness the power therein for herself. The rulers of Eternia had fought her in secret, and replaced her with another guardian—her own sister, Kodak Ungor. Now, the ex-Sorceress called herself the Enchantress, and she was aided by a villain named Count Marzo.

“You will lead a special division of the Eternian Guard,” Zilora informed the reinstated captain. “You will be charged with thwarting the Enchantress and her servant, and bringing them to justice if possible.”

Now, Captain Miro rode proudly upon his beautiful white stallion, with every reason in the world to feel such pride. After a long and arduous battle at the Hall of Wisdom, Miro and his soldiers had finally captured Count Marzo and brought him to justice!

He could barely contain his excitement as he rode toward Eternos, his birthplace and home. Miro’s young bride, Irene, would be overjoyed to see him. Better still, the Elders had granted Miro a small vacation as a reward for his victory, and he would finally be able to make-up for the large amounts of time that he was away from his wife.

As the captain reached the outskirts of the Evergreen Forest, a small communications device upon his wrist began to chirp. Miro brought his steed to a halt, and tapped the transponder. “Miro here.”

The new (and far too young, for the older man’s liking) Man-At-Arms replied. “Sir, this is Dekker. I am currently stationed in the Sands of Mystery. We have found something that the Elders would like you to see.”

The captain cursed to himself, but he also knew that the Elders wouldn’t rescind his vacation if it wasn’t necessary. “I’m on my way.”

*****

Dusk was settling upon the encampment when Captain Miro arrived on his horse. As he dismounted, Dekker and another man approached.

Like Miro, Dekker had worked his way through the ranks quickly. When the last Man-At-Arms was taken down by Count Marzo, the twenty-two year old, with thick, black braids in his hair, was chosen as a replacement. Dekker wore a patch over one of his eyes, which had been lost in the same battle that ended his predecessor’s life.

“Welcome, sir,” Dekker greeted, as he offered a crisp salute. He turned toward the younger lad beside him. “Allow me to introduce you to my brother, Melaktha; he’s an archaeologist.”

Miro shook both of their hands. “What is it that I’m here to see, Dekker?”

“Follow me,” Melaktha replied excitedly, walking quickly across the sand toward something large that had been covered with a blue tarp.

“He gets a bit excited about his work,” Dekker whispered.

The archaeologist carefully lifted part of the covering, exposing a carved rock wall on the other side. “It’s a pyramid of some kind,” he explained. “A flock of Avionians spotted it while flying overhead.”

“Do we know who it belonged to?”

“No. Most of it’s still buried, so there are too few glyphs to help me determine its age; nor do I recognize the figure rerpresented. If this part had not been unearthed by a recent sandstorm, we might not have ever known it existed in the first place!”

Miro, growing impatient, turned toward the Man-At-Arms. “This is all fascinating, but I still don’t understand why the Elders felt I was needed here?”

“I was with my brother when he got the call about this place, so I came with him,” Dekker explained. “Almost immediately, my instruments started picking up on strange energy spikes coming from within. I informed the Elders, and they reached out to locate the source of the energy. Something they touched upon spooked them pretty badly!”

“Very well,” Miro said with a sigh, as he took the flap of tarp from Melaktha and covered the wall once more. “It’s too dark to do anything now, but when the suns rise we’ll investigate further.”

Dekker agreed, and then showed Miro to his tent.

*****

That night, Miro tossed about in his sleep, plagued by nightmares. Suddenly, as thunder crashed in the dark skies overhead, he sat up like a shot! His body was soaked with sweat, but he couldn’t remember what had been attacking him in his dreams. He got out of bed and dressed before leaving his tent.

The other tents remained dark, and he could only assume that they were all resting peacefully. The captain walked around the tarp-covered pyramid, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her…

“Irene?” he gasped, shocked to find his wife standing before him.

She nodded, her long, silky blond hair framing her pale face. The woman wore a long, pale-green gown, which danced playfully upon the desert winds. She reached out for Miro, and as he fell into her embrace she kissed him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, pulling away only slightly.

Irene put a finger to his lips to silence him, and then pulled part of the tarp to the side. Behind the blue sheet, Miro saw a small entrance into the pyramid that had not been there before. Taking him by the hand, she led the captain inside…

Sorry for the delay in response--I've been busy with school, and my computer is still not quite fixed yet. Nonetheless, I was able to recover some of the images I had created to go along with the text for Part III, and so I've started posting it here!